This year I’m on a real pudding kick, and one that caught my eye is Natillas, which are basically a variation on Crema Catalana but topped with a Maria cookie (whole or crumbled). But there’s a big difference between a recipe sounding similar and actually being the same thing, so naturally, nothing to do but test it out.
The recipe itself is made from basic ingredients like milk, cornstarch, egg yolks, and sugar. Creamy and delicate, natillas are often served with a Maria cookie on top, which gives them an interesting texture, and yes, the cookie loses its crunch almost immediately, but it adds a lot more texture and a different aroma than a plain Portuguese Leite Creme would have. Honestly, I’d say it’s a good idea to borrow for other Leite Creme recipes too, hehehe.
And of course there are about 30 different versions out there, some are basically copies of crema catalana (minus the crunchy caramel top, obviously), so I picked the one that looked best to try, and I have to admit, it’s good.
A pudding like this made with cornstarch will always have a denser, creamier consistency than one without, and like I said, I really liked the addition of the whole cookie. You can see in the photos how easily it separates, and it brings a whole other aroma and texture, maybe even a nice alternative for classic Christmas pudding, hehehe. Let’s get to the recipe!
Spanish Natillas Custard Pudding with Maria Cookies
In Hugo we trust! And for today i have the lovely, delicious and creamy Spanish Natillas, or 'Creams' in Spanish, these are like milk, egg yolk, cornstarch little puddings, super easy to make and delicious, topped traditionally with a Maria cookie 🙂
Ingredients
- Milk – 500ml (Whole)
- Sugar – 60g
- Cinnamon – 1 stick
- Vanilla – 1 teaspoon (Extract)
- Egg Yolks – 4 (Room temperature)
- Cornstarch – 10g (Cornflour)
- Maria Cookies – To taste (1 per small cup)
- Cinnamon – For sprinkling (Optional)
Directions
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk with the cinnamon stick, sugar, and vanilla extract over medium heat. When the milk is about to boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow the aromas to infuse.
- Meanwhile, separately, lightly whisk the egg yolks and gradually add the cornstarch (cornflour) to avoid large lumps. Mix everything until there are no lumps.
- Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk. Then, slowly pour a little of this aromatic milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly (you do this to warm the yolks before adding them directly to the milk, thus preventing them from curdling), until the egg yolk mixture is lukewarm.
- Return the milk to the heat over low heat, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, egg yolk, and cornstarch mixture, stirring continuously. At this point, simply let it cook until the egg yolks and cornstarch thicken the mixture. You’ll see it start to become creamier and have a good consistency. At this point, remove from the heat (note that as they cool in the fridge they will thicken more).
- Prepare individual bowls or ramekins and pour a portion into each. I would say this recipe makes 4 full bowls or 6 regular ones. Place a Maria biscuit on top of each and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
Also worth noting, some recipes flavor the milk more traditionally with a cinnamon stick and lemon peel, while others use a cinnamon stick with vanilla extract or essence. I’d say it really comes down to personal preference, i felt like vanilla on that day.
If you can, use vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence. Extract is vanilla flavouring that’s been drawn out using alcohol, basically “extracted” from the vanilla pod, while essence is just vanillin, the most common compound in vanilla, so it’s missing all the other stuff that actually makes vanilla taste like vanilla ;D
Temper those yolks slowly. Pouring the hot milk in too fast is the number one way to end up with sweet scrambled eggs instead of custard, so go slow and whisk the whole time.
Don’t walk away once it’s back on the heat. Cornstarch custards can go from “not thick enough” to “gluey” in under a minute, so stay at the stove and pull it off as soon as it coats the back of a spoon.
If it looks a little lumpy after cooking, don’t panic, just pass it through a fine mesh sieve before pouring it into the ramekins. It’ll smooth right out.
Give it the full overnight chill if you can. Natillas taste better cold and set the next day, the flavors settle and the texture firms up nicely.
Whole milk makes a real difference here. Lower-fat milk will still set, but the custard won’t be nearly as rich or silky. I would say and this is my personal opinion, if you can get fresh milk, the ones sold refrigerated in Europe, they have a way better flavour, perfect for these kinds of milk heavy sweets.
These keep well covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, though the cookie will keep softening the longer it sits, so if you like more contrast in texture, add a fresh cookie right before serving instead of the night before. I kinda like the soft cookie, its still a different texture and aroma and you can use a spoon 😛
This recipe for Spanish Natillas Custard Pudding with Maria Cookies was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Natillas Leite Creme com Bolacha Maria Espanha foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.
Nutrition
Per Serving: 162 calories;6.3 g fat; 20.4 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein.Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out for you! You can leave a comment below ;D
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